Surface relief grating formation in luminescent dye doped photochromic polymer containing azobenzene side groups

We study the formation of a surface relief grating and photoluminescence in a thin layers of a photochromic polymer doped with the luminescent dyes 3-(1,1-dicyanoethenyl)-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole and Rhodamine 6G. Surface topography measurements via Atomic Force Microscopy confirmed the existence of a surface relief grating with amplitudes as high as 650 nm both for doped and undoped photochromic polymers. Spectroscopic measurements carried out for polymers containing luminescent dyes have shown efficient photoluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission which is characteristic for gain media.